Closing a Sale

Closing Techniques

 

  

 
 

Joe Girard, the author of How To Close Every Sale, lists 14 closing techniques:

  

Sales Success

Closing the Sale

  

 
 

The assumptive close.

Don't ask for the prospect's decision. Assume that the prospect is buying and start writing the order. Ask questions like, "Do you want to pay by cash, check, or credit card?" This technique is also known as 'directive close'.

The assumptive statement-and-question close

Make an assumptive question and close the sale by asking an assumptive question: "I'll use your home address for billing purposes. Is the morning is the best time of day to have it delivered to your home?"

The minor/major close

People have more trouble making major decisions than minor ones. Propose a series of easy-to-make minor decisions, the total of which add up to a major close.

Little mistake vs. big mistake

Emphasize that it's a big mistake not to buy, but under the worst possible scenario only a minor mistake to do so.

Choices of three

The more choices presented to people, the more difficult it becomes for them to make up their minds. When people have to choose from more than three choices, they have a hard time determining which to pick. Offer a maximum of three choices.

  

 
 

The compromise close

Half a loaf is better than none. And more importantly, once you win over the account, you open the door to increasing it in the future. So when all other objections except price have been eliminated and the prospect still can't decide, make it easy by offering a compromise.

  

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3 Killer Secrets for Closing the Sale

Selling by Asking Questions

  

 
 

Tell them that you appreciate their business

Never be too proud to let people know how much you would appreciate their business. Tell your prospect, "I won't keep it a secret. I want your business."

The Ben Franklin close

Get out a plain sheet of white paper, draw a line and list all reasons favoring the decision in the Yes column, and put down anything that is against it in the No column.

Solve the problem, don't create a second problem

When you don't close the sale after demonstrating the need, you actually create another problem. Suggest the prospect to spend a few minutes together to see if you can solve that problem.

The sell-it-with-love close

Make a strong emotional appeal to buy today when the prospect is accompanying a loved one for whom the first person is going to make a purchase.

The hard-to-get-it close

People want those objects that are not readily available or are too expensive. Make the prospect prove his or her worth as a buyer. This close works because it appeals to people's greed and to their egos. People want what others can't have, and they want to be accepted.

  

 
 

The follow-the-leader close

There are more followers in this world than leaders. Therefore, some prospects will buy only after they know that prominent people have signed up.

The sales manager's close

If you, a sales manager, are accompanying a trainee who makes the sales presentation and no sale has been made, say , "Do you mind if I make a comment before we leave? I think the trainee did a fine job, but he is a truly low-pressure salesman," and use the assumption close technique.

Don't give up – it ain't necessarily no

Never take 'no' to mean a sale can't be closed. If you have a reserve of closes available and don't succeed with the first, try something different. Use NLP selling techniques and/or question-based selling.  Try and try again, until you do finally close the sale.

  

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